The socius and Gabriel were left alone. To the
adorable gentleness which usually gave to the fine
features of the missionary so touching a charm, there
had succeeded in this moment a remarkable expression
of sadness, resolution, and severity. Rodin not
having seen Gabriel for some days, was greatly struck
by the change he remarked in him. He had watched
him silently all the way from the Rue des Postes to
the Rue Saint-Francois. The young priest wore,
as usual, a long black cassock, which made still more
visible the transparent paleness of his countenance.
When the Jew had left the room, Gabriel said to Rodin,
in a firm voice, “Will you at length inform
me, sir, why, for some days past, I have been prevented
from speaking to his reverence Father d’Aigrigny?
Why has he chosen this house to grant me an interview?”

“It is impossible for me to answer these questions,”
replied Rodin, coldly. “His reverence will
soon arrive, and will listen to you. All I can
tell you is, that the reverend father lays as much
stress upon this meeting as you do. If he has
chosen this house for the interview, it is because
you have an interest to be here. You know it well—­though
you affected astonishment on hearing the guardian
speak of a notary.”

“I do not understand you,” said he, in
reply to Rodin. “What have I to do with
this house?”

“It is impossible that you should not know it,”
answered Rodin, still looking at him with attention.

“I have told you, sir, that I do not know it,”
replied the other, almost offended by the pertinacity
of the socius.

“What, then, did your adopted mother come to
tell you yesterday? Why did you presume to receive
her without permission from Father d’Aigrigny,
as I have heard this morning? Did she not speak
with you of certain family papers, found upon you
when she took you in?”

“No, sir,” said Gabriel; “those
papers were delivered at the time to my adopted mother’s
confessor, and they afterwards passed into Father
d’Aigrigny’s hands. This is the first
I hear for a long time of these papers.”

“So you affirm that Frances Baudoin did not
come to speak to you on this subject?” resumed
Rodin, obstinately, laying great emphasis on his words.

“This is the second time, sir, that you seem
to doubt my affirmation,” said the young priest,
mildly, while he repressed a movement of impatience,
“I assure you that I speak the truth.”